By WESLEY HALLMAN / Sports Editor

Chelsea High School senior Julius McCall didn’t need much time to make a decision about where he would spend the next four years once UAB head football coach Garrick McGee offered him a chance to play college football for the Blazers.

McCall, a life-long UAB fan, wasted little time in choosing the Blazers over scholarship offers from Troy, Georgia State and Alabama State.

“I’ve always been a big UAB fan,” said McCall, who committed to UAB on July 23. “Coach McGee really sold me on UAB and the family atmosphere and education I would receive. Those two things go hand-in-hand.”

The 5-foot-10, 190-pound running back said he’s excited about joining friends Jake Ganus and Ben Craft at UAB in the fall of 2013. Ganus, a former quarterback and defensive back at Chelsea, and Craft, a former quarterback at Briarwood Christian, are preparing for their freshman season with the Blazers.

“It’s going to be great,” McCall said. “Playing beside them is going to be a lot of fun.”

McCall is the second high school football player from Shelby County in the Class of 2013 to verbally commit to UAB. Spain Park High School senior Jeniah Jackson verbally committed to the Blazers earlier this month.

Including McCall and Jackson, the UAB football roster will include eight Shelby County products in the fall of 2013.

Former Spain Park standout Tamar Mickens is a junior at UAB. Ganus and Craft are joined in the freshman class by former Spain Park defensive back standouts Devon Brown and Destin Challenger, as well as former Pelham standout offensive lineman Justin Forehand.